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Many young children under the age of  8 years suffer with recurrent respiratory tract infections, manifesting as sort throats, swollen tonsils and adenoids, sinusitis, cough, wheezing, difficult breathing at night, snoring and excessive mucous congestion. 

Unfortunately a large percentage of these children are required to take frequent and prolonged courses of chemical antibiotics, which may in the long term, weaken the immune system and exacerbate allergies.  The antibiotics work for several weeks only, it at all, and then another virus or allergy comes along to attack the immune system of your child.  You feel helpless, confused and continually worried about the next infection that will surely come along. 

There is no doubt that nutritional medicine can help your child’s immune system.  Children under 8 years of age however should not be given tablets to swallow as they may inhale them while crying, yelling or running around and choke very quickly before your eyes.  Children do not often desire vegetables and salads so that a “healthy diet” becomes a real power struggle; no wonder many parents just give up and feel so helpless! 

In such cases it is necessary to use the imagination in disguising healthy nutrients and perhaps a little blackmail would not go astray!  In other words a bedtime story, a trip to the zoo or movies can be a weekly reward for a youngster willing to improve their diet. 

Here are some strategies to get life saving immune boosters down the unsuspecting gullet of your “terrible” 3 year old. 

1.      Pass linseeds, sunflower seeds and almonds through a grinder (such as a coffee grinder or high powered blender) so that the resulting mixture is a fine powder.  This powder has a nutty sweet taste and can be lightly sprinkled upon vegetables or any food, so that your child gets a regular intake of this powder.  You should aim for 1 to 2 tablespoons daily.  These seeds and almonds contain valuable essential fatty acids and minerals to boost the immune system and reduce inflammation in the respiratory tract.

2.   Prick a 1000 mg capsule of evening primrose oil with a needle and squeeze out the oil.  Mix it into the vegetables or other mealtime foods and your child will not even notice the flavour.  Daily doses range from 1000 to 2000 mg and will boost the immune system.

3.   Encourage your child to eat more fish and, even better, try to give one teaspoon of cod liver oil every day, as it contains vitamins A and D and omega 3 essential fatty acids which will reduce infections.

4.  Prepare freshly squeezed orange juice and raw vegetable juices (beetroot, carrot, celery, spinach and apple taste quite acceptable) made with a juice-extracting machine.  These juices provide vitamin C and bioflavonoids which are essential for good immunity.  Kiwi fruits and strawberries are high in vitamin C and bioflavonoids and can be served with soybean ice-cream (toffait).

5.    If your child is allergic and full of mucous, try eliminating completely ALL dairy products; for example, milk, butter, cream, cheese, yoghurt, chocolate, ice-cream and foods with artificial colourings and preservatives.  Visit your local health food store for tasty non-dairy alternatives.  Children on a dairy free diet need a liquid calcium supplement of around 600 to 800 mg daily.

6.   Obtain a powder form of calcium ascorbate with bioflavonoids (this is vitamin C) and give one quarter of a teaspoon twice daily mixed in fruit or vegetable juices, or even some natural cordial, if everything else is refused.

7.   Make home made cookies and cakes with whole meal flour, oats, cold pressed oils, honey, dried fruits, and the powdered linseed, sunflower seed, sesame seeds and almonds.  These are much healthier than packaged cookies and cakes which contain sugar, salt and artificial chemicals and, although convenient, will not boost the nutritional status.

8.   Garlic is a wonderful antibiotic and is most effective if taken fresh and raw.  To do this, pass 2 raw garlic cloves through a press or crusher to express their juice and mix this juice in fresh sweet fruit juices or steamed vegetables, or any mealtime foods that your child will enjoy. 

After 2 to 3 months of this subtle form of nutritional warfare, you will find that your child will have far fewer infections, enjoy better sleep and be much less irritable. 

by Dr Sandra Cabot
Women's Health Advisory Service www.whas.com.au
Phone   02 4655 8855
Fax      02 4655 8699